The Newark Bears

The Bears were the local baseball
team and a member of the International League. In 1937 the Bears fielded a
team so good they were called "The Wonder Bears". As I remember it, all
the players on that team went to the major leagues in 1938 or 1939.

One player that was supposed to
play for the N. Y. Yankees failed to show-up so that he could take a test to
become a policeman in Buffalo, N.Y. He passed the test and that ended a
promising baseball career.

Another player, a catcher reported
to the major league team. At the start of a game he failed to show-up on
the field even though he had been in the locker room. Another player went
to the locker room and found the catcher dead. He had slashed his wrists
for reasons known only to himself.

The Newark team sold what was
called "A Knothole Ticket" for grade school children. The ticket entitled
one to see eight games and cost a big five cents. It was for eight games
designated by the team, not a "your choice" deal.

After each game on "Knothole Day",
there would be hundreds of boys waiting at the players exit. I was part
the crowd one day and when I saw my hero come out I rushed over to him. My
hero was a pitcher named Vito Tamulis.

I stuck a scorecard and a pencil
in Vito's face and asked for his autograph. After signing my card Vito
held on to it. He looked down at me and said, "Hey kid, I bet I know
something you don't know."

"What". I asked.

"You're standing on my foot", he
answered.

The Newark games were broadcast on
station WNEW by Earl Harper. Harper was an early Mel Allen. Would
anyone like to try for the gold ring and guess what WNEW stood for. Time's
up, We Newarkers Eat Wheaties.

Wheaties are still around today
but where are the Newark Bears? At one time the Bears had seven of the
eight regulars in the line-up hitting over .300 and three of those hitting over
.400. Newark had Bob Seeds, who hit seven consecutive homeruns.
Though it was minor league ball I wonder if those records still stand.

There was an attraction called "Father
& Son Night". At these games everyone got in free that accompanied
their father that had bought a ticket. This was better than "Knothole Day".
It was just a matter of standing around the entrance and saying "Hey Mr., will
you take me in?" Who could say no to a young boy wanting to see a baseball
game.

I wonder if there are father and
son nights today. Seems like a pretty good idea to me.